Anti-friction support bar



y 1968 s. c. FALEK 3,384,244

ANT I-FRICT ION SUPPORT BAR Filed March 31, 1966 BYwyf M United States Patent 3,384,244 ANTI-FRICTION SUPPORT BAR Seymour C. Falek, 3232 Mickle Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10469 Filed Mar. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 539,116 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-123) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A support bar for clothes hangers having an elongated tubular core, a covering around the core and spaced elongated bead members formed of anti-friction material and of circular cross-section on the covering to prevent the clothes hangers from scraping the bar covering and to facilitate sliding action along the support bar.

This invention relates to a support bar and more particularly to a support bar for clothes hangers.

Support bars for clothes hangers have heretofore been made of elongated wooden or metal members. In some instances the wood or metal has been covered with paint, chrome plate or other decorative material. As the hooklike portion of the clothes hanger is slid back and forth along the support bar during normal use, the surface of the bar begins to wear. Depending upon the nature of the surface of the support bar, this wear results in an unsightly appearance of the bar, bits of the finish deposited upon the clothes or both. In most instances, the sliding action of the clothes hanger is accompanied by an objectionable squeaking sound.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support bar for clothes hangers which will be free of the shortcomings of prior art devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support bar which will reduce the frictional contact between the surface of the bar and the member being supported.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a support bar which will maintain its attractive appearance for many years.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a support bar capable of a wide variety of decorative effects.

A feature of the present invention is the use of elongated anti-friction members to hold the clothes hanger away from the surface of the support bar.

Another feature of the present invention is the use of a decorative plastic covering for the support bar which will not be scratched or worn by the clothes hanger.

Still another feature of the present invention is the use of a noncircular support bar to prevent surface wear.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof is illustrated three forms of embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat isometric view of a portion of a support bar made in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bar shown in FIGURE 1 with a portion of the clothes hanger supported thereby.

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat isometric fragmentary view of a second embodiment of a support bar made according to the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bar shown in FIGURE 3.

3,384,244 Patented May 21 1968 FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of a support bar according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, 10 indicates an elongated tubular member which may be in the nature of a steel or aluminum pipe. A covering of a suitable decorative material 11 is disposed about the tubular member 10 for its entire length. The covering 11 may be a plastic such as Plexiglas, nylon, polyethylene or Teflon. A heavy enamel porcelain or even chrome or other plating may also serve as the covering 11.

A series of spaced elongated beads 12 are disposed about the outer surface of the covering 11. The beads 12 may be cemented to the covering 11, bonded thereto by the use of heat and pressure, or may penetrate the covering 11 and be secured directly to the tubular member 10 using techniques well known in the art.

The beads 12 are preferably formed of some anti-friction material such as Teflon or nylon so as to permit the hook member 13 of the clothes hanger (not shown) to slide easily and silently along the support bar. In addition, the beads 12 are circular in cross section to provide a minimum surface of contact between the hook 13 and the beads 12.

Since the beads 12 extend outwardly from the surface of the covering 11, the hook 13 does not come into contact with the said covering 11. The covering 11 may thus be made of light colored material, anodized surfaces or thinly plated surfaces without showing discoloration due to wear. If the beads are formed of a transparent material the bar will have the overall color of the covering 11. Alternately, the beads can be of contrasting color to the covering 11 for decorative effects. In the absence of wear the covering 11 can be relatively thin and still remain decorative over prolonged periods of use.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 there is illustrated a second embodiment of the present invention in which the elongated member of the support bar is noncircular or square in cross-section, as indicated at 14. The beads 12 are applied to the corners and the covering 11 overlies the outside surface of the noncircular member 14. In all other respects the structure shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 corresponds to that shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and functions in the same manner.

Other noncircular cross-sectional shapes suitable for the practice of the present invention will be apparent, such as the triangular configuration shown in FIGURE 5. In this embodiment the tubular member 15 issubstantially triangular in cross-section, the covering 11 is bonded, cemented or coated to the three outer fiat surfaces 16 and the elongated beads 12 secured to the three edges of the elongated tubular member 15.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided support bars for clothes hangers which will give many years of use without showing wear. The support bars will not squeak as the hangers are slid along the bar surface. In addition, many decorative effects are possible with bars made in accordance with the present invention.

While the present description has confined itself to the use of the support bars for clothes hangers, it will be understood that they have utility as shower curtain rods, curtain rods, decorative screens and other uses.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A support bar comprising an elongated tubular member, a covering around said tubular member and a plurality of spaced elongated bead members of anti-friction material and circular cross-section longitudinally disposed upon and secured to the covering and extending outwardly therefrom.

2. A support bar according to claim 1 in which the tubular member is noncircular in cross-section.

3. A support bar according to claim 1 in which the antifriction material is nylon.

4. A support bar according to claim 1 in which the anti-friction material is Teflon.

5. A support bar according to claim 1 in Which the tubular member is square in cross-section and the beads are carried along the four longitudinal edges of the tubular member.

6. A support bar according to claim 1 in which the tubular member is triangular in cross-section and the beads are carried along the three longitudinal edges of the tubular member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS France.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Exan'ziner.

15 W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

